1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a means for deliverying nonbitter tasting potassium orally to warm-blooded animals. More particularly, the present invention concerns achievement of the above goal with the potassium salts of phytic acid.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
By way of background, potassium is administered to patients normally suffering from congestive heart failure or patients maintained on diuretics. Conventionally, potassium is administered via a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, i.e. potassium chloride, either in tablet or liquid dosage form. The former dosage form, though still prescribed, is highly undesirable as recent studies reveal that administering potassium in this manner can often cause ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract. In the latter dosage form, which is the most widely employed, patient acceptance is minimal, if any, due to the highly undesirable aftertaste of potassium. While numerous attempts have been made to mask the taste of potassium chloride, either via formulation or by chemical modification, the results of such attempts have met with little, if any, success.
Accordingly, it is quite obvious that a need exists for a nonbitter tasting potassium product which can be orally administered and yet be substantially free of any unwanted bitter metallic aftertaste as is associated with the prior art liquid formulated products.
In the past, alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of phytic acid have been, among other things, used as a source of phytic acid, fire retardants, plasticizers, antiscum agents and antifoam agents. Their use as a therapeutic source of potassium and the recognition of their nonbitter taste has not been shown by the prior art. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,493,666, 2,497,602, 2,497,603 2,718,523 and 3,591,665.
Additionally, the natural product "phytin" (which is employed as a source of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous) contains trace amounts of potassium; however, this is negligible from a therapeutic standpoint. Moreover, phytin is practically insoluble and thus is virtually nonbioavailable when orally administered. See, U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,678.